Guard ajstd operating mean s therefor



Jan. 3, 1928. 1,655,302

. I v G. AIKEN GUARD AND OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR Filed May 9-. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ll -ETEJE- 0% i FEM- 3mm geary dZZEn Jan. 3, 1928.

G. AIKEN GUARD AND OPERATING-MEANS THEREFOR H. 0 2 W 92 2 3 H M M 1 0 2 v 7 l l I 5602 flake Witness :7 560W Jan. 3, 1928.

G. AIKEN GUARIL AND OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR 5 Sheets- Sheet 3 gvwewbo'c i602y 2273272 Filed May 19, 1927 operate by approach of a car or the like,

Patented Jan. 3,1928.

I U T D- E GEORGE AIKEN, OF'BELGRADE, MONTANA.

GUARD- AND ornsnr ne Means rnnnnron;

Application filed May 19, 1927. Serial No. 19 2,664.

The invention relates to carpperated guards, and as illustrated, the following uses are'given :-'-Prevention of trespass upon any'desired part of a railway, such as at tunnels, bridges, crossings, -station and yard entrances, etc; and closingof minev shafts and elevator shafts, the guard being in each instance opened automatically'by approach of the railwaycar,.train, elevator car, mine cage or other car,with whose trackage it is used.

The actuated operating means for the guard or for any other means whichit is desired to for instance, a visible or audible signaha switch throwing mechanism, etc. A

For purposes of description, theterm car will hereinafter be used (with the understanding that it applies to alltypes of cars, cages, trains and the like operable upon trackage. I V

One object of the invention is to provide an automatic car-controlled guard of rather simple and inexpensive, yet efficient and reliable nature. I

A further object is the provision of unique car-actuated operating means for the guard, signal, 'mecha-n'ism, etc. which embodies a uniquecar-rotated shaft constituting a prime mover.

- Other ob'ects are to provide unique means for mounting the above-named shaft, to provide novelmeans for returning this shaft to normal position after car-effected turning thereof, and to make unique provision for actuating other parts from said shaft.

lVith the foregoing in View, theinvention resides in the novel subject matter herein after described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawnigs. i I I V Fig. 1' is-atop plan view of a portion'of a railway and the invention associated therewith.

of a number of the parts shown 3,

4e and 5."

invention further relates to car;

Fig. 2 'is'a vertical transverse section on Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top" plan'view partly in horizontal section, illustrating more particularly the manner of rotatably mounting the car-operated shaft and showing' also the operating connection between this shaft and another shaft which carries the guard. p

' Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view further illustrating themanner of rotatably mounting the car-operated shaft. I

I Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view on line e aor Fig. 8. F ig.10 is an elevation of a portion of the rar-operated shaft illustrating the notches formed therein for the reception of one of the shaft bearings.

Fig. 11 is a plan view showing certain segmental journal sections which are-secured to the car-operated shaft forreception in the shaft bearing. 7 v Fig.12is'an end elevation of the journal sections shown in Fig. 11;] i

s Fig. 18 is-a vertical-section on-line 1313 of Fig. 9, the shaft however being removed from the bearing.

Fig. 14 is a detail vertical section on line 14l-'14 of Fig. 7 illustrating the manner of operatively connecting the car-operated shaft with the shaft which carries the guards 7 Fig. 15 is a vertical scctionalview on line 15*15 of Fig. 14. i

Fig. 16 is a fragmentaryelevation of the car-operated shaft illustrating the manner in which it is notched to receive a flexible'ele ment for transmitting motion to the guardca-rrying shaft. i r

The form of-construction selected for illustration in the present application, will be hereinafter specificallydescribed, with the understanding that'within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made. I i

' Two track the usual way upon ties 18'. Transversely alined bearings 19 are disposed underthe rails 17 and are secured thcreto'by suitable clamps 20. In these hearings, a transverse shaft 21 is rotatably mounted, said shaft being provided with rigidly attached guards rails 17 are shown, secured in 22-which are located between the rails 17 and s at the outer sides of the latter. Theseguards normally stand upright as in Figs. 1 and 2, i

but by the construction hereinafter described, they are automaticallyiswung downwardly upon approach of a can- 2% denotes an elongated shaftiparallelwith and spaced inwardly from one of the rails 17. This shaft embodies four circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending flanges, three of these flanges, denoted at 24, being preferably of uniform width, while the fourth flange 25 is relatively wide. At least this wide flange 25 and the other flanges also in most instances, is given a quarter twist, at one or both ends, so that said end or ends will liehorizontally as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 6, whereas the major portion of this flange will stand vertically, as seen for instal re in Figs. 1 and For purposes of illustration, only one of the horizontally extending ends of the flange 25 is shown, and it. is identified at 25". This flange end extends toward the adjacent rail 17 in position to be struck by a wheel flange. Thus, due to the twisted or helical formation of the flange 25, the flange of the first wheel engaging it, will turn the entire shaft 23 one-fourth of a revolution. I utilize this turning of the shaft 23 to turn the shaft 21, thereby swinging the guards22 downwardly and permitting the car to pass. In this connection, it will of course be understood that the shaft 23 is sufliciently long to cause the wheels'of the car to hold it in the position to which it has been turned, until the car is past the guards. Then, by means hereinafter described, the shafts 21 and 23 are returned to their normal positions, with the result that the guards 22 again assume the vertical position shown in Fig. 2.

At longitudinally spaced points. the flanges 2 l25 of the shaft 23, are formed with groups .of circumferentially alined notches 26 which receive bearings 27, em ployed to rotatably support said shaft. Secured in the angles between these flanges, are segmental journal sections 28 which en gage the inner sides of the bearings 27.

. gitudinal supporting bars 31.

i to the bars 31, but hold the sections of said hearings in co-operative relation with each other. Preferably, the bars 31 are formed with longitudinal slots 34 through which these bolts pass, in order that the parts may be relatively positioned in the required nanner when the mechanism is being initially installed.

Above the shaft 21, the flanges 2%t-25 of p the shaft 23 are formed with circumferentially alined notches 35. Secured in the angles between these flanges and located at the inner ends of thenotches 35, are segmental members 36 which jointly form a cylindrical body. Around this body, a pertion of a flexible line 37 is wound as seen most clearly in Figs. 14 and 15, another portion of this line beingwound around the shaft 21. Thus, upon car-effected turning of the shaft 23, the line 37 acts as a belt and turns the shaft21 to effect lowering of the guards 22. Similarly, when shaft 23 is restored to its-initial position, shaft 21 and the guards are similarly moved.

3S designates a spring barrel at one end of the shaft 23 and provided with notches 39 which receive the contiguous ends of the flanges 2+l-25, these flange ends being preferably narrowed somewhat. so that they may fit within the barrel. The end of the'barrel 38 remote from the notches 39, is rotatably received in a cap -l0, which cap contacts with a vertical lug tl on a longitudinal platedil A. bolt 43 passes through the lug d-land through the center of the cap to secure the latter to the former, saidcap and lug being provided with interengaged sockets 4 1 and ribs 45 spaced apart around the bolt 43. A torsion spring at) is disposed in the barrel 38 and has one end a7 passed through a slot 48 of said barrel or otherwise connected with the latter. The other end 49 of the spring is connected with the cap 410, for instance by passing it through an opening 50 in said cap. Vhen the bolt 43 is loosened, the cap l0 may be rotated with respect to the barrel 38, for the purpose of imparting the desired tension to the spring 46. Then, tightening of the bolt &3 will secure'the cap tightly against the lug 41 and the interengaging ribs and grooves 45 -451., will hold saidcap in adjusted position. The spring 46 is thus in readiness to return the shaft 23 and associated parts to their original positions, after movement of said parts has been effected by passage of a car wheel flange onto the flange 25 of the shaft 23. Any desired stop means (not shown) may be employed for limiting the return movement of the parts, under the influence of the spring 46.

The plate 42 is by preference provided with integral arms 5L secured to the adjacent rail 17 by appropriate clamps 52.

lVhilc the mechanism engaged by the car wheel is shown arranged on only one end of the shaft 23 for operation by a car approaching in one direction, it is obvious that within the purview of the invention this same. mechanism can be arranged on both ends of the described, a shaft parallel with a track rail, said shaft-having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending flanges one of which is relatively wide and is of helical form to be engaged by. a wheel flange or analogous car part to effect turning of the shaft, said flanges being formed at. longitudinally spaced points with circumferentially alined notches, bearings. for the shaft surounding the same within said notches, and segmental. journal sections secured in the angles between said flanges and contacting with the inner sidesof said bearings.

2. In an operating means of the class described, a shaft parallel with a track rail, said shaft having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending flanges oneof which is relatively wide and is of helical form to be engaged by a Wheel flange or analogous car part to effect turning of the shaft, said flanges being formed at longitudinally spaced. points with circumferentially alined notches, bearings for the shaft surrounding the same within said notches, and clamps carrying said bearings for securing them to a track rail;

8. In an operating means of the class de-,

scribed, a shaft and. means rotatably mounting it parallel with a track rail, said shaft having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending flanges one of which is relatively wide and is of helical form to be engaged by a wheel flange or analogous car part to effect turning of, the

shaft, said. flanges being formed with a group of cireumferentially alined notches, and segmental members secured. in the angles between said flanges and jointly forming a cylindrical body for imparting movement to another member when the shaft is turned. 1

4. In an operating means of the class described, a shaft and means rotatably' mounting it parallel with a track rail, said shaft having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending flanges one of which is relatively wide and is of helical form to be engaged by a wheel flange or analogous car part to effect turning of the shaft, said flanges being. formed with a group of circumferentially alined notches, segmental members secured in the angles between said flanges and jointly forming a cylindrical body, and a flexible line woiindaround said body and extending therefrom for operating another member when the shaft is turned.

5. In an operating means of the class described, a shaft extending longitudinally of a rail and provided with car-engaged means for effecting rotation of said shaft, a cylindrical body on said shaft, a second shaft transverse to the first named shaft and having a cylindrical portion opposite said cylindrical member, and an endless flexible linewound around said cylindricalunember and said cylindrical portion to turn the second shaft upon. turning of the first named shaft.

6. In-an operating means of the class described, a shaft having car-engaged means for turning it in. one direction, a spring barrel at one end of said shaft connected thereto for rotation therewith, a bearing cap with which the outer end of said barrel is rotatably engaged, a spring in the barrel connected at one end to thelatter and at its other end to the cap, said spring being effective toreturn the barrel and shaft after car-effected rotation thereof, a stationary support with which said cap contacts, and means normally securing said cap non-rotatably to said support but permitting truning of said cap for tensioning of said spring. I

7 A structure as specified in claim 6; the

last named means consisting of a bolt passgether with a rail-engaging clamp carrying said support.

Intestimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

GEORGE AIKEN. 

